Valve



Jv HANSEN April 16, 1935.

VALVE Filed March 28, 1933 INVENTOR. fix/was /7/4/V5/V BY aw I ATTORNEY Patented Apr. 16, 1935 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE VALVE 7 James Hansen, Brooklyn, N. Application March as, 1933, Serial No. 663,185

reclaims. (01421 -60) This invention relates to valves in general and more especially to discharge valves or outlets for containers such as the tubular containers so extensively used for tooth paste, shaving cream,

5 toilet creams, artists paint, grease and'the'like,

With tubular containers of this kind, the discharge mouth is generally of lessdiameter than that of the main body of the container and the contents are caused to be extruded by pressure on the flexibleportion of the body member. The consistency of the contents is generally either fluid or semi-fluid, such as a plastic mass or paste.

In view of the foregoing, a satisfactory closure for the discharge outlet of such a tube had to meet at least two requirements. It had to be secure'against internal pressure caused either by expansion or contraction of the contents or by some accidental pressure being exercised on the body member during shipment or handling, and it had to be airtight to prevent loss by evaporation.

To meet these two important requirements, it has heretofore been customary to use screw threaded caps with internally seated flexible washers. These screw threaded caps, however, on account of their small size were in constant danger of being lost. Tooth pastes and shaving creams in particular have extensive use over wash basins and the like. The extent of loss of these caps by way of the discharge openings of wash basins need not be mentioned. Furthermore, an artist when at work either in the field or in the studio may of necessity be so absorbed 35 in his work that the caps of the paint and grease tubes used are accidentally dropped and lost. As a result of the aforesaid, it is not uncommon to provide make-shift, ill-fitting, leaky closures with the consequent loss in evaporation and 40 danger of accidental discharge of the contents. In view of the foregoing, it, is an object of the present invention to provide an improved valve or closure for a tubular flexible container and which will not only be permanently attachedto 45 the container and thus absolutely prevent accidental loss of the-same but in addition be pressure resisting and airtight when, closed.

It is still another object of the present invention to provide an improved pressure-resisting airtightclosure or valve for a'tubular flexible container. of the character heretofore discussed which can be opened and closed, with facility as desired and in addition maintain,- an, open and free communication between the, discharge neck 5 and thenain body of the container so,that no bermade according to another embodiment of segregated pockets'or crevices will be present in which any part. of the co tents can accumulate and become contaminated with foreign matter or be otherwise injured, as for instance by evaporation of the liquid or other ingredients of the 5 contents.

These and other features, capabilities and advantages of the invention will appear from the 'subjoined detail description of specific embodiments thereof illustrated in the accompanying .10 drawing, in which r Figure 1 is a perspective of a tube equipped with a closure made according to one embodiment of the present invention with the closure shown in closed position;

' Fig. 2 is a fragmental perspective of the embodiment illustrated in Fig. 1 with'the closure showninopened position;

Fig. 3 is a'fragmental side elevation enlarged and partly in section on the line 3-3 ofFig. 1; Fig. 4 shows in perspective the threemain elements of the closure device disassembled of the embodiment illustrated in Fig. 1; Fig.5 is a longitudinal section of a closure mem- 25 the present invention;

' Fig. 6 shows the cap closure shown in Fig. spective; I

Fig. '7 is a fragmental end elevation partly in section of still another embodiment of the pres ent invention; and

Fig. 8 shows the cap and neck portion of the embodiment illustrated in Fig. '7 disassembled and in perspective;

The present invention consists essentially in a discharge control valve having a spiral valve seat, a valve having a corresponding spiral abutment, an intermediate washer, and a spring or other tension exercising device for frictionally maintaining the valve, washer and valveseat in cooperative engagement with one another.

In the embodiment of Figs. 1 to 4, inclusive, there isshown, see Fig. l, a flexible tube container i of the character extensively used for containing tooth paste, shaving cream, toilet creams, artists paint, grease and the like.

This tubular container generally is contracted at its lower end and closed by a flat clip 2. The upper end of the container generally is conical, 50 as indicated at 3, terminating in a cylindrical neckof smaller diameter than the diameter of the main body of the tube 1.

In this embodiment in order to obtain a discharge opening of larger diameter than that of 55 and neck portion of the 5 disassembled in performation of the seat and face the neck 4, the neck 4 is cut at an inclined angle to the periphery of the neck 4 and the exposed surface is formed into a spiral seat 5, see Fig. 4, having a shoulder 6 between the depressed area I of the spiral and the ultimate raised area 8 of the spiral.

For this seat 5, there is provided a washer 9 which is cut to correspond to the spiral conformation of the seat 5. To cooperate with the washer positioned on the spiral seat 5, there is provided the cap I which has a spiral face I I corresponding to the spiral seat 5, also provided with a shoulder I2 defining the lowest area I3 of the spiral H from the highest area I4 of this spiral.

This cap :13 is also provided in the present instance with a finger engaging device consisting of the vertically extending tab I5. 'Ihis c'ap III may be anchored to the neck 4 by any, suitable pressure exercising device, preferably a yieldable device, such as the spring bail I 6. The bail in the present instance has its lower end I! engaging recess IS formed in the neck 4 preferably diametrically opposite to the portion of the spiral seat nearest to the conical portion 3. The other end IQ of the bail I! is preferably bent inward and engages the r cess in the plane surface 2| of the cap I8 adjacent to the tab I5. In theoperation of this valve, it of course will be apparent that the spring bail I! will lock the spiral face it of the cap I0 in intimate engagement with the washer 9 and in turn lock the Washer 2 intimate engagement with the spiral face 5 of the neck 4.

This spring will, further due to the spiral con- I I, yieldably oppose the turning of the cap so that its shoulder l2 may separate from the shoulder 6.

In other words, when the cap isv turned into closed position, the spring I! will not only yieldably urge the spiral face I I into intimate engagement with the washer 3 and in turn urge the washer 9 into engagement with the spiral seat 5, but in addition will urge the shoulder I2 of the cap to press the shoulder portion I 2' of the washer 5 into airtight engagement with the shoulder 6 of the neck 4.

On the other hand, when the cap I 0 is turned into open position, it will do so in opposition to the spring 5? but when moved to open position will remain in such position, due to the pressure exercised by the spring tocause the cap ID to intimately engage the washer 9. When so turned to open position, the discharge of the outlet or mouth of the neck 4 will be formed between the shoulder 52' of the washer 9 maintained in engagement with the shoulder 6 of the spiral seat 5 and the shoulder I2 of the cap I0.

In the embodiment illustrated in Figs. 5 and 6, the spiral valve seat 5 is substantially identical to the spiral valveseat 5 of the embodiment illustrated in Fig. l. The washer 9' is substantially identical to the washer 9 of the embodiment illustrated in Fig. l and the cap ID is substantially identical to the cap It! of the embodiment illustrated in Fig. l.

However, instead of the spring bail I'I disposed on the outside of the neck 4, there is here provided a small spiral spring 22, the end 23 of which engages the orifice 24 formed in the neck 4' opposite to the, lowest portion 25: of, the valve seat 5 and the other end of the spring 22 is connected to and preferably embedded in the lower face of the cap I0 intermediate its spiral face H.

In order to anchor the. washer 9 against slippage on the spiral valve seat 5, the valve seat 5' is preferably provided with two projections, such as the projections 26 and 27 illustrated in Fig. 6.

In the embodiment illustrated in Figs. 7 and 8, the valve seat is disposed in a plane substantially parallel to the vertical axis of the tube. In this embodiment, there extends upwardly from a disc portion 28, a neck 29 having an outer flat face 30 and the opposite face 3! thereof, see Fig. 8, cut into aspiral seat, such as the spiral seat 5 of the embodimentillustr'ated in Fig.1.

The shoulder 32 in the present instance defines the lowest area 33 of the spiral 3I from the highest area 34. Here, too, there is preferably provided a washer 35 cut to conform to the spiral seat 3I. To cooperate with the washer 35 and spiral seat 3|, there is provided the cap 36 having the spiral face 31 and the shoulder 38, see Fig. 8. .The extension 29 is preferably provided with a central opening 39 which communicates with the opening 40 in oommunicationwith the interior of the tube H. To facilitate positioning the cap 35 on the extension 29:, the cap is providedwith a stud 42 which extends into the open ing 39 when assembled, see Fig. '7. For resiliently maintaining the cap .36- in operative position relative to the washer 35 and spiral seat 31, the springbail 43 is provided which serves. not only yieldably to urge the cap, washer and extension in airtight operative relation to one an.-

other butalso serves as a handle for manipulating the cap 36'. This ball 43 preferably has one end embeddedin the cap 36 as shown and the other end formed into a'lo'op- 44 to'enga-ge. the projection' 45 extending from the face 30 of the extension 29;

It is obvious that various changes and modifications may be made to the details of construction without departing from the general spirit of the invention as set forth in the appended claims.

I claim:

1. In a container, the combination with av tubular flexible main body, of a diminished tubular neck extending therefrom having the outer edge of its walli formed into a spiral valve seat with a shoulder at one end thereof, a cap having at its edge a spiral face with a. shoulder atone end thereof corresponding to the spiral valve seat of the neck, and means fol-anchoring. thefica'p to the neck with the spiral face. of the cap'inoperative relation to the spiral seat of the neck, the shoulders disposed adjacent to one another in closed position and separated in'open position to permit the discharge of the contents across the inner tubular wall of said neck and between said shoulders.

2". In a container, the combination with a flexible tubular main body, of a'dimini'shed neck ex tending from said main body and having "the outer end of its wall formed into a spiral Valve seat, a flexible washer conforming to said valve seat and disposed thereon, a cap having a spiral face conforming to saidespiral valve seat, and a spring connecting the captosaid-neck and yieldably clamping the Washer in place on said valve seat and inoperative relation: between said spiral seat and spiral face.

3. Ina container, the combination with a flex ible tubular main body, of a diminished neck extendingfrom' said main body and hav ing its outer tubular end formed into a spiral valve seatincli'ned to'the ax-isof s'aid neck, an airtight washer conforming tosaid valve seatand dis cs'ed thereon, a cap-having aspiral face conformingto said valve seat, and a spring connecting said cap to saidneck and intimately clamping said washer between said spiral valve seat and spiral face.

4. In a container, the combination with a flexible tubular main body, of a diminished tubular neck extending from said main body and having the outer end of its tubular wall formed into a spiral valve seat inclined to the axis of said neck, an airtight washer conforming to said valve seat and disposed thereon, a cap having a spiral face conforming to said valve seat, a spring connecting said cap to said neck and intimately clamping said washer between said spiral valve seat and spiral face, and a tab extending from said cap to form a handle for manipulating the same.

5. In a discharge control valve, the combination with an outlet forming cylindricalbody having the free end of its wall formed into an annular spiral valve seat, of a cap having a base surrounded by an annular spiral face conforming to said valve seat and adapted to cooperate with the same, and yieldable means for anchoring the cap and body in rotative relation to one another to permit the rotationof said cap in one direction to space the opposing ends of said valve seat and face from one another whereby the contents may discharge along the inner tubular wall of said body and between said valve seat and face.

6. In a discharge control valve, the combination with an outlet forming tubular body having its free end formed into a valve seat, of a cap, said cap and valve seat having opposing annular spiral faces to rotate relative to one another to permit the rotation of said cap in one direction to space the opposing ends of said spiral faces from one another whereby the contents may discharge along the inner tubular wall of said body and between the opposing ends of said spiral faces.

7. In a discharge control valve, the combination with an outlet forming tubular body having the outer end of its tubular wall formed into a spiral valve seat, of a washer conforming to said valve seat, a cap having a spiral face conforming to said spiral valve seat, and a spring bailhaving one end embedded in said cap and extending therefrom and the other end connected to said body, the spring bail serving not only to yieldably urge the spiral face of the cap, the spiral valve seat and the washer into intimate engagement with one another but also as a handle for manipulating the cap.

8. In a discharge control valve, the combination with an outlet forming tubular body having the tubular edge of its free end formed into a single convolution spiral seat with a shoulder formed between the ends of the spiral convolution, of a cap having an imperforate base surrounded by a single convolution spiral face with a shoulder formed between the ends of the spiral convolution conforming to said spiral seat, and means for anchoring the cap and body in cooperative relation to one another with the spiral face of said cap slidably engaging said spiral seat, the valve being closed when the shoulders abut one another and open as the shoulders are moved from one another with the opening formed between said shoulders.

10. In a discharge control valve, the combination with an outlet forming tubular body having its end formed into a single convolution spiral seat with a shoulder formed between the ends of the convolution, of a cap having a single convolution spiral face with a shoulder formed between the ends of the convolution and conforming to said spiral seat, a fluid tight washer conforming to said valve seat, the faces of said spiral conformations inclining centrally away from the free end of the tubular body, and resilient means for urging the cap and body into cooperative relation with one another with thespiral face of said cap slidably engaging said spiral seat, the cap being anchored against lateral displacement by the inclination of said spiral conformations and the valve being closed when the shoulders abut one another and open as the shoulders are moved from one another. v

11. In a discharge control valve, the combination with an outlet forming tubular body having the tubular edge of its free end formed into a single convolution spiral seat with a shoulder formed between the ends of the spiral convolution, of a cap having an imperforate base surrounded by a single convolution spiral face with a shoulder formed between the ends of the spiral convolution conforming to said spiral seat, and means for anchoring the cap and body in cooperative relation to one another with the spiral face of said cap slidably engaging said spiral seat, the valve being closed when the shoulders abut one another and open as the shoulders are moved from one another with the opening formed between said shoulders, the outer edge of said spiral seat being inclined to the axis of said tubular body.

12. In a discharge control valve, the combination with an'outlet forming tubular body having the tubular edgeof its free end formed into a single convolution spiral seat with a shoulder formed between the ends of the spiral convolution, of a cap having an imperforate base surrounded by a single convolution spiral face with a shoulder formed between the ends of the spiral convolution conforming to said spiral seat, and means for anchoring the cap and body in cooperative relation to one another with the spiral face of said cap slidably engaging said spiral seat, the valve being closed when the shoulders abut one another and open as the shoulders are moved from one another with the opening formed between said shoulders, the outer edge of said spiral seat forming an angle of about forty-five degrees with the axis of said tubular body.

JAMES HANSEN. 

